Claire Rutter

Soprano

The renowned British soprano, Claire Rutter opens the 2018-19 Season at English National Opera performing in Opera For All to mark 50 years of opera in residence at the London Coliseum. She travels to Scottish Opera to sing Fidelia Edgar.

Last season the artist sang performances in the title role Tosca at Icelandic Opera and at Welsh National Opera, where she appeared as Leonora La Forza del Destino. During the summer she returned to Grange Park Opera where she took on the role of Amelia Un Ballo in Maschera in their new theatre at West Horsley.

Recent and future engagements include the title role Vanessa for Wexford Festival Opera, Mother L’Enfant Prodigue and Fidelia Edgar for Scottish Opera, the title role in La Gioconda for Malmö Opera, and Sieglinde Die Walküre for Grange Park Opera.

The artist began her studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and joined the ensemble at the National Opera Studio where she was sponsored by English National Opera. She went on to build her career singing the title roles in ENO’s new productions of Lucrezia Borgia, Tosca and Aïda, as well as appearing on the ENO stage as Donna Anna Don Giovanni, Amelia,Elvira Ernani, Gilda Rigoletto and Violetta La Traviata.

Un Ballo in Maschera, Grange Park Opera

Claire Rutter, last year’s accomplished Sieglinde, is a vibrant and dramatic Amelia.

The Stage, David Gutman, 14 June 2018

His wife and victim Amelia is in the safe hands of Claire Rutter, a fine spinto singer who's often the grande dame but here projects emotional vulnerability with ravishing beauty and superb control.

WhatsOnStage, Mark Valencia, 11 June 2018

The cast was strong, with Claire Rutter fully in command of Verdi’s notes as the anguished Amelia

Financial Times, George Hall, 11 June 2018

Claire Rutter’s Amelia, though, was superb, with attractive steeliness to her voice that is the hallmark of the true dramatic Verdian soprano.

Bachtrack, Matthew Rye, 11 June 2018

Welsh National Opera, Tosca

February 2018

Claire Rutter, sharing the roles of Tosca with Mary Elizabeth Williams, sang tonight's title role with conviction, beauty and convincingly passionate drama. The innocent victim of Act 1 elsewhere found more fiery reserve as the tortured opera singer, her voice warmly coloured throughout her range, and her second act “Vissi d'arte” was enormously moving.

Bachtrack, Rohan Shotton, 11 February 2018

Rutter on this occasion, never shirking her high notes or committed acting, creating as good a sung and acted performance as one is likely to see on the international stage!...Rutter’s acting and singing of ‘Vissi d’arte’ was also outstanding as she thwarted Scarpia and then stabbed him to death.

Seen and Heard International, Robert J Farr, 24 April 2018

Icelandic Opera, Tosca

November 2017

Claire Rutter made a mature, diva-ish Tosca...The way her face gradually registered the price she would have to pay Scarpia spoke volumes. Rutter has recently sung her first staged Sieglinde and her voice easily rode the climaxes. But she kept a nice amplitude and evenness of phrasing and refined control. 'Vissi d'arte' was quite intimate, with the singer alone on the stage. There was also a real strength of character which allowed her to contemplate making the sacrifice of her virginity to Scarpia.

Planet Hugill, Robert Hugill, 8 November 2017

English soprano Claire Rutter shone in the title role, delivering a subtle performance and a truly touching and masterful “Vissi d’arte.”

Iceland Review, Jelena Ciric, 26 October 2017

And what a Tosca! Rutter possesses a big, beautiful voice that could match Johannsson's full throttle approach; but her Vissi d’arte was where the full range of colours and elegance really showed, in a performance that was haunting and ravishingly lovely - worth a trip to Iceland in itself!

Opera Now, Neil Jones, January 2018

Die Walküre, Grange Park Opera

June 2017

Claire Rutter as Sieglinde and Bryan Register as Siegmund bring conviction to their dawning discovery of their transgressive love.

Express, Clare Colvin, 9 July 2017

The standout performance in Act I is from Claire Rutter as Sieglinde. Her tone is pure and clear, and her German articulation impeccable.

The Arts Desk, Gavin Dixon, 30 June 2017

Clare Rutter was womanly and ardent as Sieglinde culminating in her radiant ‘O hehrstes Wunder’

Seen and Heard International, Jim Pritchard, 3 July 2017

Bryan Register and Claire Rutter sang the pair with rare passion and a full command of Wagner's imposing vocal lines

WhatsOnStage, Mark Valencia, 2 July 2017

Vanessa, Wexford Festival Opera

October 2016

Claire Rutter as the eponymous heroine displayed a fiery spinto that was capable of keeping its power and tone quality throughout the evening. Her passionate declaration to whom she believes is her returned lover in Act I made a deep impression culminating in the powerfully dramatic moment “Do you still love me?” As Vanessa’s flits between flirtatious happiness with Anatol and her wondering what is up with her niece, Rutter alternated between the two states with great aplomb.

Bachtrack, Andrew Larkin, 28 October 2016

Claire Rutter’s deluded heroine is delivered with forthright tone

The Guardian, George Hall, 28 October 2016

Norma, Grange Park Opera

June 2009

At Grange Park, the technical demands of Bellini's Norma hold no terrors for the extraordinary Claire Rutter, who embraces the meditative hymn of "Casta diva", the coloratura fireworks of the confrontation with Pollione and the Gluckian sublime of her final self-sacrifice with an ease, command and tonal splendour which I haven't heard equalled for a generation.

The Telegraph, Rupert Christiansen, June 2009

Claire Rutter's Opera Repertoire

BARBER

Vanessa (title)

BELLINI

Norma (title)

I Puritani (Elvira)

BRITTEN

The Turn of the Screw (Miss Jessel and Governess)

Gloriana (Queen Elizabeth I)

Peter Grimes (Ellen Orford)

DONIZETTI

Lucrezia Borgia (title)

GIORDANO

Andrea Chénier (Maddalena)

MOZART

Don Giovanni (Donna Anna, Donna Elvira)

Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi)

Idomeneo (Elettra)

Le Nozze di Figaro (Countess Almaviva)

PONCHIELLI

La Gioconda (title)

PUCCINI

Edgar (Fidelia)

Tosca (title)

La fanciulla del West (Minnie)

Madama Butterfly (title)

Turandot (title)

Manon Lescaut (title)

La Boheme (Mimi/Musetta)

La Rondine (Magda)

Il Tabarro (Giorgetta)

STRAUSS, J

Die Fledermaus (Rosalinde)

STRAUSS, R

Die Frau ohne Schatten (Die Kaiserin)

Elektra (title)

Salome (title)

VERDI

Un ballo in maschera (Amelia)

La forza del destino (Leonora)

Il Trovatore (Lenora)

Aida (title)

Ernani (Elvira)

La Traviata (Violetta)

Nabucco (Abigaille)

Falstaff (Alice Ford)

WAGNER

Die Walküre/Götterdämmerung (Sieglinde, Brünnhilde)

Tristan und Isolde (title)

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Eva)

Lohengrin (Elsa)

Tannhäuser (Elisabeth)

Claire Rutter's Concert Repertoire

BRAHMS

German Requiem

BEETHOVEN

Symphony no. 9 ‘Choral’

Die glorreiche Augenblick

Mass in C Major

Missa solemnis

Ah, Perfido

BRITTEN

War Requiem

Delius

A Mass of Life

ELGAR

The Kingdom

The Apostles

The Spirit of England

HOLST

The Mystic Trumpeter

MAHLER

Symphony no.1, 2, 4, 8

POULENC

Stabat Mater

Gloria

PUCCINI

Messa di Gloria

ROSSINI

Stabat Mater

Messa di Gloria

Petite messe solennelle

RUTTER

Gloria

Requiem

Magnificat

STRAUSS

Vier Letzte Lieder

Orchestral songs

VERDI

Requiem

These photos are available to be downloaded.Right click on a desired image and select the "Save Link As" option.

Claire Rutter, sharing the roles of Tosca with Mary Elizabeth Williams, sang tonight's title role with conviction, beauty and convincingly passionate drama. The innocent victim of Act 1 elsewhere found more fiery reserve as the tortured opera singer, her voice warmly coloured throughout her range, and her second act “Vissi d'arte” was enormously moving.

Bachtrack, Rohan Shotton, 11 February 2018

Rutter on this occasion, never shirking her high notes or committed acting, creating as good a sung and acted performance as one is likely to see on the international stage!...Rutter’s acting and singing of ‘Vissi d’arte’ was also outstanding as she thwarted Scarpia and then stabbed him to death.

Claire Rutter made a mature, diva-ish Tosca...The way her face gradually registered the price she would have to pay Scarpia spoke volumes. Rutter has recently sung her first staged Sieglinde and her voice easily rode the climaxes. But she kept a nice amplitude and evenness of phrasing and refined control. 'Vissi d'arte' was quite intimate, with the singer alone on the stage. There was also a real strength of character which allowed her to contemplate making the sacrifice of her virginity to Scarpia.

Planet Hugill, Robert Hugill, 8 November 2017

English soprano Claire Rutter shone in the title role, delivering a subtle performance and a truly touching and masterful “Vissi d’arte.”

Iceland Review, Jelena Ciric, 26 October 2017

And what a Tosca! Rutter possesses a big, beautiful voice that could match Johannsson's full throttle approach; but her Vissi d’arte was where the full range of colours and elegance really showed, in a performance that was haunting and ravishingly lovely - worth a trip to Iceland in itself!

Claire Rutter as the eponymous heroine displayed a fiery spinto that was capable of keeping its power and tone quality throughout the evening. Her passionate declaration to whom she believes is her returned lover in Act I made a deep impression culminating in the powerfully dramatic moment “Do you still love me?” As Vanessa’s flits between flirtatious happiness with Anatol and her wondering what is up with her niece, Rutter alternated between the two states with great aplomb.